


be my mirror, my sword, my shield

by thesatanistauthor



Category: Grey's Anatomy
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Angst, Fluff, Injury, M/M, Sad, Violence, cop/doctor au, cop/doctor au part 2 bois
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-02
Updated: 2020-04-02
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:14:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23446816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesatanistauthor/pseuds/thesatanistauthor
Summary: "You're okay," Levi repeats. He brings a hand up to brush Nico's hair from his face, where it has fallen from his usually styled position. Levi won't lie; despite the circumstances, Nico looks good with messy hair. "You're okay."Nico nods, sliding his hand down Levi's arm until he reaches his wrist, and eventually intertwines his fingers with Levi's. He gives his hand a squeeze, and Levi squeezes back. It's becoming Nico's way of saying 'I love you' without actually having to say it.-AKA the cop/doctor au that no one asked for CONTINUED !!
Relationships: Nico Kim/Levi Schmitt
Comments: 7
Kudos: 88





	be my mirror, my sword, my shield

**Author's Note:**

> HELLO  
> I suggest reading the first part before you read this one, though there isn't too much of a massive connection?? I still suggest reading it though.   
> This isn't the best and I don't think I did very well on it but people wanted a part two and I delivered.   
> I hope you somewhat enjoy it anyways!

Nico is pouring his morning coffee when he feels a pair of arms sneak around his waist. 

"Took you long enough," he grins to himself, the kitchen lit by a single dim light. The other light broke a while back, and this one was on its last leg, but he never had any time to get an extra bulb. He makes a mental note to grab one on the way back from work. 

"Shut up," Levi groans, voice still thick with sleep. Levi was never much of a morning person, especially when he had to get up extra early for shifts. 

After all, being the Head of Trauma means little rest. 

"How long are you working today?" Levi asks, unwrapping his arms from Nico's waist and stepping to the side. 

Nico picks up his mug, cold fingers wrapping around a warm mug, and he thinks. It takes him a second or two to remember his schedule. "I think I'm doing a twelve-hour shift today. I start in about an hour."

Levi complains a little, leaning back against the kitchen counter, arms folded across his chest. Nico chuckles to himself as he takes a sip of his coffee, having forgotten he had just freshly poured it. Levi taps his fingers against his arm as he watches Nico, a fond smile presenting itself, a sleepy sort of look still remaining. 

"What are you so smiley about?" Nico questions, brow raised. Levi sighs contently and shrugs, his smile never faltering. 

"I'm just happy," Levi explains, and Nico can't help but smile too. He takes another sip of his coffee before he places his mug down on the kitchen counter. "Do you remember the first time we met?"

Nico nods, unable to hold back his laughter. Of course he remembers, how could he not?

"Of course. Link was treating my shoulder, I was shirtless on a hospital bed, and you walked in. You didn't seem to like me very much."

"I didn't."

"Clearly," Nico jokes, and Levi juts his bottom lip out in a pout. Nico mocks him by copying his expression, which earns him a scowl instead. "You wanted nothing to do with me, Levi."

"I did," he admits. "I just didn't know it at the time. I didn't know we would end up like this, years down the line."

Nico reminisces on the past, so thankful he was at the hospital that day. He is also somewhat thankful to Link, for pushing them both together. If it wasn't for him, who knows where they would be now. Link also had luck in his relationships - with a little help from Nico and Levi, of course. 

There isn't a moment either one of them regrets. Even the fighting, they don't regret it, because they learned from it and they grew from it. All the good times, all the bad times, all the in-between times counted towards this moment in time. Neither of them had ever expected to be engaged. 

Nico takes a step towards Levi and wraps his arms around his waist, pulling him in closely, hands clasped together. Levi grins fondly up at Nico, reaching up and cupping Nico's jaw in his hands. For a moment, he takes the time to appreciate Nico, and all that he has done for him. There isn't an ounce of Nico that Levi doesn't absolutely adore. 

"So, are you going to kiss me, or-"

"Shut up," Levi mutters, grinning from ear to ear. Nico shares the same love-struck grin, and allows Levi to continue with his admiring for just a bit longer. A content sigh sounds from Levi as he ghosts his thumb across Nico's bottom lip. 

Nico chuckles to himself as he rolls his eyes. He leans down, breaking the gap between them and catching Levi's lips in a sweet kiss. Levi still has to lean up on his toes to properly kiss Nico, and it never fails to amuse Nico. He smiles into the kiss, leaning down just enough that Levi doesn't have to strain upwards. 

Levi moves his hands, clasping at the back of Nico's neck, pulling him into the kiss even more. Nico has to shift his stance to brace himself, so he doesn't fall and take Levi down with him. Nico slides his hands around to rest on Levi's waist, giving it a small squeeze and tugging Levi's hips closer to his. It results in a surprised sound from Levi.

In one (maybe not so) swift motion, Nico has turned them around, Levi's back pressing up against the kitchen counter. It isn't exactly comfortable, but Levi doesn't really care. 

However, the moment is ruined when Nico's phone goes off, his ringtone breaking the silence and making Levi jump. Nico groans and he takes his phone out his back pocket, seeing that it's Aida phoning him. Levi glances at the phone screen, raising a brow in question. Nico shoots him a look, a look which says 'behave', and he slides his thumb across the screen.

He places the phone against his ear, ignoring the cheeky smirk from Levi. 

"What do you want, Aida?" he complains, sighing. Levi rests his hand on Nico's chest, tapping his fingers, which does little to distract Nico from the phone call. The unimpressed look on Nico's face lets Levi know that this isn't the time, and the faint voice he can hear from the phone also lets him know. Aida sounds pretty stressed. 

Levi has grown pretty close with Aida, as she had come to visit Nico quite a bit after the accident a few years back. Levi and Aida are very similar in many ways; maybe that is why Nico gets on with her better than any of his other colleagues. 

After a couple of minutes, Nico hangs up on the call with a heavy sigh. Levi frowns, worried lines etched between his brows as he looks up at Nico. 

"Everything alright?" he knows it is a dumb question to ask, but it can't hurt. 

"Yeah," Nico replies, blunt as anything. "Just peachy."

"Nico," Levi's tone is stern, and it gets Nico to listen to him. "Tell me."

Nico sighs, contemplates it for a moment, until he decides there isn't any point in hiding it from Levi. He usually finds out some way or another. Nico never questions it. 

"There is a case I need to get to as soon as possible, and it doesn't sound good. I can't give you any details, but I need to go."

"Okay," Levi forces a small smile. "Please be safe."

Nico stays silent, expression unchanging, as he pulls Levi in for a hug. It's tighter than normal, and Levi buries his face in the crook of Nico's neck. The hug lasts no longer than a minute or two, as Nico has to rush off before h expected. 

"I'll see you after work, alright?"

Levi nods and hums in response, folding his arms across his chest as he watches Nico grab his stuff and rush off, a pinched expression still present. 

Levi has a feeling it's going to be a long day.

-

"What the hell do you mean?" Levi asks, completely and utterly confused. 

Taryn finishes her mouthful of food, readying herself to talk Levi's ear off. Levi leans his elbows on the table, chin resting in the palm of his hand. Taryn takes in a deep breath before she speaks. 

"I mean," she stops, pointing at Levi. "You know exactly what I'm going through. I've tried to talk to her, but she just... doesn't want to talk. She seems so shut off. How did you get through to Nico?"

Levi almost laughs; sometimes, it is still impossible to get through to Nico. It all just depends on the day and how he is feeling. He leans back in his chair, arms folded over his chest, and watches as Taryn's face falls into a look of uncertainty. It almost amuses him. 

"Time, and trust. I still have problems getting through to Nico sometimes. You just have to let them come to you, you can't force them. I learned that one the hard way, remember?"

"Oh, I remember. I've never seen Nico so fired up."

"I have," Levi mumbles, but Taryn catches it. She pretends to gag, shaking her head at Levi's comment. She did not need to know that information, and wishes she could erase it from her memory altogether. Levi's proud look only makes it so much worse for her. "How long have you and Olivia been together now?"

"Two years."

"Cute," Levi comments. It makes Taryn blush a little. 

They go back to finishing their food, knowing that soon enough, one of them was going to get paged someplace or another. Taryn practically scarfs down her food and Levi is pretty impressed that she doesn't choke on it. She hasn't eaten for ages and it's clear to see. Levi doesn't plan on dying, so he takes it slow. No rush. 

Just as they are about to finish, another person joins them at the table. 

"How are we doing today, my good friends?"

"Piss off, Blake, no one likes you."

Levi has to cover his mouth with his hand to stop himself from spitting out his food, as Taryn's comments towards Blake never fail to make him giggle. Blake just scowls at her before he turns to Levi, hoping to get his attention instead. Even despite being told multiple times that Blake isn't really wanted, he still continues to haunt them. Honestly, Levi is used to it. Taryn, not so much. 

"And how are you today, my favorite little-"

"I'm going to stop you right there," Levi holds his hand out, which stops Blake from talking. He stares at it, expression unreadable. Levi can't tell if he's about to get sarcastic or mean. Is there really any difference when it comes to Blake? "I'd prefer if you didn't try and compliment me. It always comes out horrible."

Blake slumps back in his chair and shrugs. "Suit yourself."

Taryn and Levi exchange a look, and before Taryn can even open her mouth to say something, she is rudely interrupted. 

Not by Blake. By an alarm. The alarm catches everyone off-guard and leaves them all confused, as they hadn't been told that there were any sort of drill today. 

Code Violet starts to ring out around the cafeteria, and the three at the table instantly understand what is going on. They stand from their chairs and rush off to where they have previously been instructed to meet, ready to be filled in on what to do. 

-

Nico sits at his desk, finger tapping against his cheek as he stares blankly at the computer in front of him. For some reason, he just cannot seem to focus today. Every little thing has him on edge - especially the fact that Levi isn't replying to his texts at all. Sure, it was usual for Levi to text back a couple of hours later, but this time, it felt different. 

He has managed to get a few reports written up, though it took him a good while. His eyes are beginning to strain and it's giving him a headache, which isn't exactly what he wants. He lets out a sigh as he rubs his eyes, hoping the straining pain fades. The office is pretty quiet around him and he is thankful for that. Noise isn't what he needs when he is beginning to get a headache. 

Nico sits up in his chair, back beginning to ache, and checks his phone for any messages. Still, nothing. He anxiously taps his foot, absentmindedly chewing on his lip as he stares, waiting for the screen to light up with a message from Levi, saying that he just got out of surgery. 

With every second that passes, he grows more anxious. 

"Kim, we got to go," Aida rushes past his desk, barely stopping to warn him. He instantly perks up and gets up from his chair, rushing around his desk to join her. With no explanation as to what is going on, he's confused, and something tells him that it isn't a good thing. The look on Aida's face only confirms his worries, as he has never seen her look so pale. 

"Aida," he calls out, but she doesn't stop. She keeps on walking, pace fast and unbroken. "Aida!"

"We don't have time," she replies, stern. Nico raises his brows, almost in shock, and continues following after her. When Aida is on a mission, then she is unstoppable. And fast. Nico has to jog to catch up with her a few times. 

"Can you at least tell me what is going on?"

"I will when we are in the car. I don't need you freaking out in front of all these people."

Nico says no more and rushes ahead of her, desperate to know the information on what the hell was going on. 

They clamber into the car, Aida insisting she drive. Once they are all buckled in and everything is sorted for them to go, Aida turns to Nico. The look she wears brings him no comfort. 

"Promise me you won't freak out?" 

Possibly the easiest way to freak someone out, Nico thinks. He nods, lips pursed together in a straight line, dreading what Aida has to tell him. She takes in a deep breath, looks away for a second, then focuses back on Nico. She looks too nervous for this to be something small. 

"Can you just tell me already?" Nico tries to hurry her along, perhaps sounding a bit too irked about the whole thing. 

"We've been called to Grey Sloan," she starts, and Nico freezes. What? "They had a Code Violet-"

"Code Violet?"

"Someone being violent to a member of staff," she explains, and he nods in understanding. He lets her carry on, without interruption this time. "It's been upped to a Code Orange, meaning that a staff member is in danger."

Nico swallows down the lump forming in his throat; that's why Levi isn't responding. He's hoping, and praying, and worrying all at once. All he wants is for Levi to be safe. All he needs is for Levi to be safe. He can't get there and know that Levi is the one in danger, he can't. 

Aida switches the engine on and at the same time, Nico's phone dings, alerting him to a new text. He scrambles to get his phone out of his pocket so quickly that it almost flies out of his hand, but he just manages to catch it before it falls. 

He frantically reads the text, letting out a heavy sigh of relief when he sees who it is from. It's from Levi, letting Nico know that he is safe, that he is in no danger. Nico shoots him back a single text, and soon they're rushing to get to Grey Sloan. 

It takes no longer than five minutes to get there, especially with little traffic and the lights on. Even with knowing that Levi is safe, that he isn't the one in danger, there is still that feeling of uncertainty about what they will find when they get there. There is still that feeling that something will go incredibly, horribly wrong. 

Something doesn't sit right in Nico's stomach. 

As soon as they arrive, they're rushing out the car and into the entrance of Grey Sloan, where multiple doctors and patients are waiting at the front. They all seem panicked, some even confused. The doctors and nurses are doing their best to keep patients as calm as they possibly can, though in some cases, it isn't working. 

There are a multitude of other officers arriving behind them, ready to send in back-up if needed. As Lieutenant, it is Nico's responsibility to make sure that everyone knows what they are doing. Nico heads into the hospital, hoping to find someone in charge, someone who he can talk to so he can get an understanding of what has happened and what is currently happening. 

He excuses himself as he squeezes between a few people crowded together. It's then he spots Levi, who is chatting away to someone who Nico assumes is a person in charge. 

"Levi!" Nico calls out, though he really knows he shouldn't, and catches Levi's attention. Levi looks around to find Nico and eventually focuses on him, and all signs of stress seem to release from his body. 

Levi excuses himself from the conversation and rushes over to greet Nico, embracing him in a relieved hug as soon as they are close enough. Nico catches him, holds him close, and thanks whoever and whatever for keeping Levi safe. 

The hug doesn't last long, as Levi knows that Nico has things to do. He has people to save. 

"I thought you'd be hurt," Nico admits, getting a little choked up as he speaks. Levi shakes his head, smiling half-heartedly at Nico. 

"No, I'm fine. I'm completely fine."

"Do you know what happened?"

"From what I've been told, someone walked into the ER, asking for help. She looked scared, jumpy, skittish almost. When they tried to help her, she panicked and threatened to attack. She has some sort of weapon with her, but we couldn't make out what it is."

"That helps a lot, thank you."

"Nico," Levi grabs Nico's arm, holding him back as he goes to walk off. Nico stops and turns back to face Levi, who looks terrified. Nico can tell by the way he shakes, the worried lines etched between his brows, the way he constantly looks around. "Please, be safe. Don't be a hero."

Nico nods, shooting Levi a small, reassuring smile before he goes back to join Aida. 

All is sorted between the officers in just a minute or two, so they can get to work and get the hospital back to normal running status. It's a simple, but strategic plan and Nico hopes that it works as well as he wants it to. 

He has assigned himself and Aida to go to the last known location of the suspect, leaving the other officers to patrol the hospital, in case the suspect has traveled from her last known location. As far as they know, she has one person with her, who she refuses to let go. They are unsure who it is, and will only know once they find them. 

A few officers remain at the front entrance, making sure that no one comes in and no one gets out, to keep everyone safe. It also helps keep everyone as calm as they can be. If it comes to it, they will have to fully evacuate the hospital, which is the last thing they want to do. 

The two of them make their way up to the fourth floor, readying themselves should they need to jump right into action. Despite the sheer amount of stairs they have to climb, they get there in a small amount of time. Nico has come to know the hospital quite well - especially some of the on-call rooms - so it makes it a lot easier for them to navigate around. 

"She was last seen down this corridor, in a room on the left. Do we have a name?"

"No name."

"Shit," Nico mutters under his breath. A name would have made things easier for them. They check their surroundings, ensuring it is all clear, before making their way down the corridor. They make sure to move slow and steady, keeping as quiet as they can. They check every room as they pass it, making sure that they miss nothing. 

They come to the last door on the left, and to their luck and their surprise, the suspect is in there. 

She looks distressed, as does the person who is with her, and Nico knows that it isn't going to be an easy battle to fight. From what he can see, the weapon seems to be a jagged piece of metal, broken off from something. 

Nico signals for Aida to stop, turns to her, and points over his shoulder at the room. She glances over his shoulder for just a second, and nods. 

They put away any sort of weapons they have on them, as not to startle the girl, and Nico takes the lead. He has a plan, and he hopes it works. 

Nico approaches the door to the room, which is slightly ajar, and knocks on it. At first, the woman startles and instantly stands to her feet, arms outstretched, weapon pointing towards Nico and Aida. The doctor sat in the chair beside the window tries to hide her relief. Nico feels his hearting beating at a million miles an hour. This has to work. 

He holds his hands up, Aida following his lead, to show the woman he is no threat to her. It seems to help calm her and she slowly begins to lower her arms. Nico attempts to take one step into the room. 

"Hey, hey, we're here to help! We aren't going to hurt you, okay?" Nico rushes to reassure the woman. Her hands shake, eyes wide - just like a deer caught in the headlights. Aida stays behind Nico, making it her goal to get the doctor out of the room and to safety before anything kicks off. 

The woman frantically looks between the two officers, never once calming down. 

"Look, my hands are up here," Nico places his hands behind his head, to show the woman he isn't reaching for anything. It seems to work and her breathing evens out, just a little. It is still progress. "What's your name?"

She hesitates. "Millie."

"Millie?" Nico repeats, and she nods. "That's a nice name. I'm Nico, and this here is Aida. We are here to help you. Who's your friend over there?"

Nico nods his head in the direction of the doctor. Millie looks over to the doctor, and again, hesitates before she answers. 

"I-I don't know.," she's honest with her answer. 

"I'm Anita," the doctor speaks up, voice wavering. "Anita Adams. I'm an intern." 

The look in her eyes is pleading for help, and Nico can only shoot her a look that lets her know that they will get out of there, and she will be fine. Until then, he has a suspect to calm.

"Can you tell me why you're here, Millie? Are you looking for someone? Do you need help?"

"No!" she snaps, startling them all. Aida slowly and cautiously begins making her way behind Nico, so she can get to Anita, who looks too terrified to even blink. "I don't need help!"

Nico nods, keeping his hands held high, so Millie stays as calm as possible. Threatening her right now could lead to serious harm to someone. He wants to get out of there with no casualties at all. 

Millie squeezes her eyes shut, holding her arms out again, weapon pointed directly at Nico. He doesn't flinch, doesn't move, doesn't try to take it away from her. Provoking her is the last thing on his to-do list. 

She's shaking, badly. She looks fragile, and weak, but there is a will about her that still keeps Nico back, as he can't predict what she may do. 

"Okay," Nico says, keeping himself calm. "Can you tell me what you want?"

Millie shakes her head violently, eyes still squeezed tightly shut. Nico doesn't seem to be getting through to her, and it's beginning to worry him. Aida manages to get to Anita's side, hushing her as best she can. While Millie is distracted, Aida manages to get the intern out of the room, without Millie even noticing. Aida stands right outside the door, just in case Nico needs help for any reason. 

She instructs the intern to go down to the first floor, where everyone is, and let the other officers know where the suspect is. The intern nods and runs off. 

"I don't want to get in trouble!" Millie cries out, rocking back and forth where she stands. Nico glances at Aida, who can only give him a reassuring nod. 

"You won't. I promise. If you put down the piece of metal and come with me, we can get you some help. Does that sound okay?"

Millie doesn't answer. She stands there, silently sobbing, unable to move. Nico feels sorry for the poor girl - there is obviously a reason behind her behavior, and she must feel terrified herself. Nico can't blame her, and he hopes he can get her out with no issues. She needs help. 

Nico takes a single step forward, still keeping his hands up. Millie opens her eyes as soon as she hears Nico move, and her eyes grow wild again, and the terrified look comes flooding back. Nico takes another step forward, but she doesn't move, and he knows that it is now or never. 

Another step, another step, and another.

He reaches her side, gently coaxing her to relax. She continues to sob, her whole body shaking, as Nico escorts her out of the room. He tries her best to keep her calm, quietly talking to her and reassuring her that everything will be alright. 

Everything went to plan, and Nico could not be more relieved. 

Except, it hasn't all gone to plan. 

All is going fine until a distant drum of footsteps starts to gather from the corridor. Nico knows exactly what is happening and he knows exactly how Millie will react to the situation. Millie hears it too. Nico can't stop her from freaking out again. 

A group of officers round the corner of the corridor and spot Nico and Millie. One of them yells at her to put her weapon down, which only aggravates her even more. She squeezes her eyes shut and presses her hands over her ears, muttering to herself as she shakes her head. Nico tries her best to calm her, tries his best to keep the officers from yelling, but nothing works. 

Millie starts to sob even harder. 

Nico signals to Aida for her to go and stop the officers. She rushes over to the group, waving her arms at them to stop. It's no use though. 

Nico tries to calm Millie one last time, but she snaps. It all happens so fast and Nico can barely catch what is happening, until he is hit with the burning sensation of a fresh wound. Not once, not twice, but three times. It takes him a while to realize that Millie has caught him, whether she meant to or not. Two of the officers from the group rush over to restrain Millie, knocking the metal out her hand. 

It slides across the corridor floor, clanging against it. Dark blood drips from it, covering the floor in red marks and splashes. It takes everyone else a second to realize that an officer has been hurt. 

"Oh my God," Aida mutters to herself, upon seeing the blood dripping down Nico's arm. He stares at it, almost as if he hasn't realized it's happened, mesmerized by the blood. Aida rushes over to him, which brings him back just enough for him to realize what is going on. 

Another cop rushes over to aid her, and they get Nico to sit on the floor before he passes out. It's only then they realize it isn't only his arm that has been wounded, but his leg and lower abdomen too. 

Aida shouts for someone to go and get some doctors. 

She is careful to examine the wound on Nico's thigh, seeing it through the large tear in his uniform pants. It looks bad. The same goes for the one on his stomach. It almost makes her cringe, and she makes sure to hold Nico's arm elevated to slow blood loss. He's awake, and alert, thankfully. 

"Where's the metal?" Aida asks, and the other cop points to it across the floor. She instructs the other officer to hold Nico's arm up, which he does, as she rushes over to it. She doesn't touch it but from what she can see, it's covered in rust. Great. Just great.

She makes her way back over to Nico, avoiding the random splotches of blood decorating the floor around her, and sits by his side. He winces at the pain, his breathing labored as he tries to fight his way through it. Aida knows that he can't try and hide this pain. 

"You're so stupid," Aida jokes, in hopes she can lighten the situation. Nico tries to laugh, but only hisses in pain when he feels how it pulls on his abdomen wound. She apologizes and rests a hand on his shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Levi is going to kill you."

"Not if this kills me first."

"Hey," Aida gets stern, refusing to have Nico talk this way. "You are not dying, okay? If you do, I will bring you back and kill you myself."

"Kind of defeats the point, doesn't it?" Nico struggles to get his words out, the pain almost unbearable. He squeezes his eyes shut, mostly to avoid the view of his own blood, but also as a way to try and cope with the pain. 

Aida turns her attention to the wound on his thigh, seeing that it's still bleeding. Her first aid training kicks in and before she realizes, she has taken her shirt off, using it as a makeshift tourniquet. Thankfully, she decided to wear a tank top underneath her work shirt today. 

As for the wound on his lower abdomen, she can't do much about that right now, though it looks a little less deep compared to his thigh wound. 

"The doctors should be here soon," Aida lets Nico know, who only groans and shakes his head. Aida raises a brow at him. "Do you want to bleed out?"

"No," Nico groans. "I just know they're going to get Levi. He can't treat me. He'll freak."

Aida pauses. Oh.  _ Oh _ . Yeah, that's understandable. 

"Well, I won't let him freak, okay?"

Nico can only nod, the pain just too much to handle. He clenches his jaw in an attempt to not cry out, but ultimately fails. Aida attempts to hush him, but is stopped when she hears more running footsteps. She looks back over her shoulder, and her heart drops. 

Nico was right. They did get Levi. 

She pushes herself up from the ground, ready to stop Levi should it be needed. She glances down at her hands, seeing they're covered in Nico's blood. There is nothing she can do but attempt to wipe most of it off on her pants. 

Levi catches Aida's gaze and stops, looking confused. It's only when he looks down, does he realize just who they are here to treat. It hits him like a truck full of bricks. His breath catches in his throat as he tries to breathe, but he can't. He can't breathe and he starts to freak out. 

Thankfully, Link is with the group of doctors, and he catches on that Levi is about to have a full-on freak-out and takes him to the side. However, Levi puts up a struggle, attempting to break out from Link's grip to get to Nico. Nico tries his hardest to ignore the protests coming from Levi, though it breaks his heart, and he can't help but feel a little guilty about it. 

Aida comes over to help, seeing that Link is struggling with holding Levi back. For a little guy, he sure can be feisty, especially when it comes down to Nico's wellbeing. She hopes that she can help calm him down, as it won't be making things any easier for Nico. 

"Levi, Levi, you need to listen to me-"

"Let me go!"

"Levi," she tries again, sterner this time. It works, but only just. He stops struggling as much and finally turns his attention to her. He looks as if he is about to cry, eyes lined with unshed tears, and it breaks her heart too. "You need to listen to me."

"Is he okay?" his voice breaks as he speaks, and he struggles to keep himself standing. Link has to help hold him up as best as he can manage. 

Aida can't lie, but she can't be honest either. So, she nods, faking a smile as best she can. "He's okay. The wounds aren't too bad."

"Wounds? They- He got hit more than once?"

Again, Aida can only nod. Levi sucks in a deep breath as he struggles to keep back the flow of tears. 

"Please," Levi begs. "Let me go and see him."

"You know that is a bad idea, Levi," Link adds in. Levi knows deep down that he is right, but he wants to see Nico. Wants to speak to him, tell him that he loves him, tell him that everything will be alright in the end. 

One of the doctors that are tending to Nico comes back over to where Link, Levi, and Aida are gathered. He wears an unreadable look - something most doctors have perfected by now - and Levi can't help but hate him for it. There are a few odd bloodstains on his scrub, and Levi can't help but think that it is Nico's. He knows it is Nico's blood. 

That almost makes him sick to his stomach. 

"Owen, please tell me that Nico is okay?" Levi pleads, and Owen nods. Levi can see right through him though, and it doesn't fool him one bit. It ignites some sort of fire in his stomach, and irks him in a way he cannot describe. "Tell me the truth."

"He is okay," Owen says, not breaking his facade. "He needs surgery, that much we know. Until we get in there, we have no idea how bad it truly is. Link, you'll need to scrub in. There could be muscle damage."

Link nods. He doesn't particularly feel like performing surgery on his friend, nor does he want to - that was one thing he swore never to do as a surgeon. Too many complicated feelings, too much pressure to keep them alive and safe. Plus, he didn't want Nico haunting him. That would be awful. 

"Let me scrub in."

"Levi, no. You're his fiancé. We can't let you scrub in. You can sit in the gallery and watch, okay?"

"I don't give a crap, Owen! I'm the Head of Trauma, I-"

"And I used to be the Head of Trauma, okay? I taught you everything you know, so trust me and let me take over this one time."

Levi shuts up. Owen has a point; he learned everything he knew about Trauma from that man. It's been a little while since he has done a surgery, but not long enough that he has forgotten. Levi trusts him, completely and fully. There isn't a better person for the job. 

Behind them all, they have been getting Nico onto a gurney, so they can get him into surgery as soon as they can. The other cops have escorted Millie from the building, leaving it safe for the rest of the staff and patients to come back in. The corridor will be shut off for a while, so they can sanitize everything and make sure all traces of bodily fluid are gone.

Levi watches on helplessly as they take Nico away, heading for the surgery rooms. The four of them follow after, and wait in the gallery. 

-

When Nico finally comes around, he feels unbelievably groggy, his head fuzzy. He blinks a couple of times, eyes adjusting to the bright light of the room. It takes him a second to remember where he is and when he does, he goes to sit up, only to be stopped by a plethora of wires and an aching in his lower abdomen. 

Then it all comes back to him. 

The metal, the blood, the searing pain, more blood, Levi yelling at people. 

Levi. 

Nico tries his best to turn his head to look around the room, but his neck is stiff and it aches to move. He groans to himself, lifting his uninjured arm to rub his forehead. His head feels so fuzzy that he can barely think straight. He doesn't know what day it is, or what time it is, and only hopes someone comes to see him soon.

His prayers are answered almost immediately when the door clicks open to reveal a worried-looking Link. Nico greets him with a sleepy smile, and Link invites himself in. He makes himself comfortable on the chair beside Nico's chair. 

Nico is thankful he is there. 

"You look like shit," is the first thing that comes from Link, and it doesn't fail to make Nico laugh. It hurts, and he ends up coughing, his throat dry, but he laughs. Link frowns a little as Nico coughs. 

"You don't look much better," Nico tries to speak, his voice raspy. He tries to clear his throat, but it doesn't work very well. In fact, it does absolutely nothing. 

Link chuckles at that, and hands him the styrofoam cup he has in his hands. Nico sighs in relief and reaches out for it as best he can. It's full of little ice chips, and Nico is honestly surprised. It wasn't what he expected. 

Even so, he's thankful. He manages to have a few before he hands the cup back to Link, throat already feeling more soothed. 

"Levi is worried shitless about you. You scared him so badly."

Nico just groans at that, pinching the bridge of his nose with his uninjured hand. He still feels a pang of guilt in his chest every time he thinks of Levi, and how terrified he sounded. That was all his fault and he can't take it back. Nico blames himself, he should have been more aware. He made a huge mistake in not taking the metal from the woman. 

At least he'll learn from this lesson. 

"Where is he?" Nico questions, trying to look out the window of his room to see if he can spot him. He tries to sit up again, but Link places a hand on his shoulder and pushes him down again. Nico tries to swat Link's hand away, but his attempts prove fruitless. 

"Fil l ing some paperwork. He insisted he did something to keep his mind occupied while he waited for you to wake up."

Nico can't help the grin that sprouts on his face. "That sounds like my Levi."

Link grins too, slouching back in his chair. He knows that Levi might be a while yet, as he seemed pretty stressed about it all, and decides it best to let Nico wake up a little more before Levi comes in and smothers him. 

Link taps his foot against the floor, taking a look around the hospital room. It was bright, even for him, so he gets up to turn the light off, allowing the natural light from outside to fill the room instead. 

Nico sighs in relief at the lack of light, finally able to see properly without being blinded. The constant beep of the heart machine drones on. Half of Nico wishes he could turn it off. The other half knows that it would probably be a god awful idea. 

"How's Amelia?" Nico asks in an attempt to start a conversation. At the mere mention of Amelia, Link perks up, face brightening. It's clear to Nico that Link is head over heels for her, and he finds it adorably sweet. He sits forward in his chair, forearms resting on his knees. 

"She's amazing," he begins, grinning from ear to ear. "I really think that she is the woman I want to marry."

"I better be the best man at the wedding," Nico jokes, though he is somewhat serious too. If Link is being the best man at his, it only makes sense, right? 

Link leans back in his chair again, hands resting in his lap as he lifts his shoulders in a shrug. "Who knows, might make Levi the best man. You can be the maid of honor though, I'm sure."

"I'm honored," Nico rests his hand over his chest, acting flattered. It causes them to both break into laughter and as much as it still aches, Nico can't stop.

Their laughter is interrupted when the door is swung open, almost startling both of them. It reveals an out-of-breath Levi, who looks as if he has just run across the hospital to get there. Nico can only smile at him, giving him a little wave, as best as he can muster up. 

It takes Levi a total of two strides to reach the bed, and he's engulfing Nico in the best hug he can do, considering Nico is attached to wires of all sorts. Nico hugs back as best he can, again being limited. Levi plants himself on the edge of the bed, burying his face in the crook of Nico's neck, breathing him in. 

Link decides it's probably time for him to leave, so  he sneaks out as quietly as he can to leave the two of them alone. 

Once the door clicks shut, Levi pulls back from the hug, allowing Nico some room to breathe. He looks exhausted, eyes red and puffy, hair unkempt and all over the place. Nico's heart breaks at the sight, and the pang of guilt is back. Levi wipes under his eyes as he sniffles, trying his best to not cry again. 

Nico can only bring his hand up to rest on Levi's arm, gently rubbing it, a calming and comforting gesture. It takes everything Levi has in him to not start sobbing there and then. 

"Hey," Nico says, barely above a whisper. "I'm okay."

"You're okay," Levi repeats. He brings a hand up to brush Nico's hair from his face, where it has fallen from his usually styled position. Levi won't lie; despite the circumstances, Nico looks good with messy hair. "You're okay."

Nico nods, sliding his hand down Levi's arm until he reaches his wrist, and eventually intertwines his fingers with Levi's. He gives his hand a squeeze, and Levi squeezes back. It's becoming Nico's way of saying ' _I love you_ ' without actually having to say it. 

Levi knows that, and squeezes again. It makes Nico chuckle a little. Levi continues to wear a solemn expression, and Nico can tell that Levi is still worried. He can't blame him, because he would be worried too. 

Instead of saying anything, Nico just opens his arms, offers up a hug, as best as he can manage. Levi manages a small smile at that and it warms Nico's heart. Levi gets up from his spot on the bed and shuffles around to the other side, so that he doesn't get tangled up in all the wires and accidentally tears something out. 

Nico shuffles across on the tiny hospital bed so that Levi can sit with him. There isn't much room, and Levi is very aware that he could hurt Nico if he isn't careful, but they make it work. Levi climbs onto the bed next to Nico, shuffling down so he can rest his head against Nico's chest. He rests his hand against his stomach, watching as his hand rises and falls with every breath Nico takes. He listens to his heartbeat, strong and steady. 

It's the only thing that calms him enough. Nico uses his hand to card his fingers through Levi's hair, almost lulling Levi to sleep. After such a day, Nico couldn't blame him. He still feels groggy himself, the anesthesia still not fully worn off. He could do with a little nap more. 

The dull ache resides in his lower abdomen, his thigh, and his arm. He's sure they are going to leave some impressive scars, with great stories to tell for each of them. Nico turns his head just enough to plant a lingering kiss into Levi's hair. He can't see it, but he can tell Levi is smiling. 

And he is. 

He really is. 

"What am I going to do with you, Nico Kim?" Levi mutters, tracing small shapes with his finger against Nico's stomach. Nico grins to himself, bottom lip caught between his teeth. 

He breathes in deep, and sighs. 

"I know," is all Nico can say. All Nico knows at this point in time is that he has a lot to think about. He has a lot to talk about, too. Deep down, he knows he can't keep at this forever. Today has proved to him that life is just too precious, and too short. He knows what Levi is thinking. 

"I told you to be safe."

"I know."

"And you weren't."

Nico swallows. "I know."

They fall into silence. It isn't awkward, though it isn't exactly comfortable either. Levi has so much he wants to say, so much he wants to talk about, though he knows it isn't the time. Nico doesn't want to talk about anything, wants to just get back home and cuddle up with Levi, watching movies and forgetting that anything ever happened. 

"I don't like seeing you hurt," Levi breaks the silence. 

"I know."

"Is that all you can say?" Levi shifts, propping himself up as best he can. He looks unimpressed, and quite honestly upset. "You know?"

"Levi," Nico sighs, not wanting to start an argument here and now. He is too tired, his whole body aches from head to toe, and he knows that it will only escalate if things don't stop now. "I've just gotten out of surgery after being attacked in this very hospital. Can we please talk about this at a later time?"

Levi almost scoffs as he lays himself back down, heading resting back on Nico's chest. Nico doesn't say anything in return, not wanting to fuel the fire. Instead, he just goes back to carding his fingers through Levi's hair. 

There is so much going on in Nico's mind that he can barely figure out what is what. 

There is much to think about, and Nico needs time. 

-

"No," Nico whines, desperately trying to hide his face away from Levi, who is trying to sneak photos of him. 

"Oh, come on, you look adorable!”

"Dressed in a hospital gown? I don't think so."

Levi finally gives in and lowers his phone, leaving it to rest in his lap. They're sitting outside the hospital, enjoying the warmth of the evening sun, it being the first time Nico has had fresh air in days. 

It feels refreshing to not be sat in a lumpy old hospital bed. They really were created to be the most uncomfortable things on the earth, Nico swears he has sat on rocks softer. Granted, the wheelchair he is sat in isn't much better, either. 

Levi's sitting next to him on the bench, people walking past them every so often, unaware they are really there. Nico lets out a content sigh as he closes his eyes, just enjoying the last bit of evening sun. 

"I can't wait to get out of here," Nico says, fiddling with the fabric of his hospital gown. It's scratchy, and hands weirdly, but there isn't much else he can wear. Levi hums in agreement. He misses seeing Nico at home, and doesn't get much time during work to visit him either. 

"The house feels so empty without you. I was debating on getting a dog, or a cat maybe," Levi quips, and Nico fakes a hurt gasp. 

He shifts in his wheelchair, turning his body to face Levi. He rests a hand over his chest. "I haven't even been gone a few days, and you're ready to replace me? Levi Schmitt, I am so hurt."

"Hm, a cat wouldn't make as much mess as you do."

"Have you ever met a cat?" Nico almost laughs, holding his hand up to shield his eyes from the sun. Levi lifts his shoulders in a shrug, grinning. "They kick the crap out of their litter box constantly."

Levi holds his hands up in defeat, trying to bite back his smile. He's been caught out, he admits. Having never owned a cat, he wouldn't know the struggles of them. Though, he could never replace Nico. No dog, or cat, or any other person could replace him. No one even comes close to it. 

A slight wind starts to pick up, causing Nico to shiver. Hospital gowns aren't exactly the warmest of clothing. If you could even call them clothes; more like a sheet of fabric. Levi notices and decides it is maybe best to head back inside. He checks the time on his phone, sighing, before putting his phone in his pocket and getting up from the bench. 

"Do you need to head back?" Nico wonders, and Levi nods. 

"Sadly, I do. I'll take you back up then I have to rush off, okay?"

"I understand. You'll come visit me after work though, right?

"Of course. Now, let's get going."

-

It's a week before Nico is discharged and is back at home again. Levi waits on his every need, as he has done once before, but this time it feels different. Nico doesn't want any of the attention, nor does he feel like he needs to be waited on. 

And it seems like Levi isn't doing it out of the good of his heart; he's doing it because he has to. 

Nico may be recovering physically from the attack, but mentally, he is struggling. A mental battle carries on night and day, that he refuses to talk about. He is still considering a lot of things, a lot of different options and outcomes. 

On one hand, Nico wants to stay at his job, doing what he loves. On the other hand, Nico doesn't want to put Levi through any more stress, and these injuries are sure to keep him out of a job for a while. Maybe it would be best if he decided to step down for a bit. What he would do though, he doesn't know. 

Levi has mentioned plenty of times how he feels. It hasn't helped Nico in the slightest. 

Nico has been in this exact position before. Stuck at home, watching the same couple of crappy movies over and over again. By now, he can repeat the whole script to Guardians of The Galaxy.

All he wants is to be able to walk around without the aid of a crutch, or the aid of another person, namely Levi. He wants his freedom back. 

The bedroom curtains are drawn shut, the room dimly lit by the bedside lamp. Nico knows it's late, but Levi isn't back from the hospital yet. They had to call him in for something important, which Levi wouldn't give Nico any details about. 

The bed is no longer comfy to him. It's a prison. It's not a place where he can rest after a long day, because it's now the only place he can be for a while. Not being able to move around and stretch out his legs is driving him a little stir crazy. 

Instead, he just tries to focus on the film, despite the countless times he's seen it. This time around, he's trying to spot any mistakes. Such fun.

The front door clicks open just ten minutes later, followed by the shuffling of shoes. Nico knows it is Levi, and that he is most likely just going to want to get straight to sleep, but Nico doesn't want that. He can't stay cooped up and not talk to someone. Even if he talks about something stupid, like the dumb video he saw today. 

Levi appears in the bedroom moments later, looking absolutely exhausted. 

"How did it go?" Nico asks, trying to sit himself up as best he could. Not so easy with an injured leg and an injured arm. It hurts a little, but he masks the pain as best he can. 

"Awful," Levi complains, sitting on the end of the bed. He slips his jacket off and discards it on the floor. Nico sighs to himself. "We couldn't save him."

"I'm sorry," is all Nico can say. 

"It's okay," Levi shakes his head, climbing up further onto the bed. He places himself next to Nico, glancing at the movie playing on the TV. 

Nico chews on his lower lip as he watches Levi, eyes scanning over his face. There is so much he wants to do and say, so much he needs to tell Levi, but he feels this weird sense of fear around it all. Neither does he want to bring it up now, with Levi being so tired and all. It doesn't seem fair. 

Nico opens his mouth to say something, but Levi manages to get there first, keeping Nico from saying anything. Levi turns to him, looks at him for a moment, before he starts. 

"He was a cop," he starts, and Nico knows exactly where this is going. Instead of stopping him, he lets him talk. He knows he needs it. They both do. "He had a family, a life, people who loved him. He was shot. Bled out before we could do anything."

"That isn't your fault, Levi." 

"I know," he swallows, sucking in a deep breath. "But I had to tell his family. They were distraught, and I couldn't stand there and watch them. I've never had to excuse myself from that situation before. I couldn't stand there and watch them because it reminded me of you. I could have been in that situation-"

"But you weren't."

"That's not the point, Nico! I could have been! I could have been sat there, someone telling me that you had been killed in the very hospital I work at, when just ten minutes ago I was telling you to be safe. I could have been planning your funeral right now, Nico."

It leaves Nico speechless. It creates a pit deep in his stomach, full of guilt, and dread, and hurt. He understands where Levi is coming from and how he feels, but he can't just give up his job like that. Yes, he was nearly killed but he has worked his whole life to get here. Then again, he knows if he was in Levi's shoes, he would be asking the very same of him. 

Nico knows he very well could have ended up dead. He knows that all too well. 

He knows he could be killed on his next job. 

And he can't do that to Levi. 

"I don't want to have to feel this fear when you go to work anymore. I don't want to be scared every time the phone rings, thinking it will be someone calling me to tell me that you have been killed. I can't-"

Levi can't finish what he is trying to say. He lowers his head, using his hand to wipe the tears from his eyes. The ache he feels deep in his chest is almost too much to bear. The thought of hearing that Nico has died is far too much for him to handle anymore; not after last week. 

Nico reaches out a hand to rest to Levi's shoulder, but Levi pushes it away. It hurts Nico, he'll admit. It hurts him in a way it shouldn't. A muffled sob comes from Levi, and Nico feels his heart sink. Levi keeps his hand pressed over his mouth in an attempt to stop himself from crying, but it proves fruitless. He can't stop the tears, and his eyes sting, and he hates it. He hates crying but he just can't stop. 

Nico shuffles closer to Levi and wraps his arms around, pulling him back against him and holding him close. Levi allows himself to be held, allows himself to feel. He can't hold it in anymore and he lets it all out, harsh sobs shaking his body. Nico tightens his arms around him, resting his chin on his shoulder, gently rocking him. 

Levi cries, and cries, and cries. 

With every sob, every sniffle, every deep breath taken, Nico's heart breaks just that bit more. He presses his lips to Levi's shoulder, placing gentle kisses in hopes it calms Levi down. It works, just enough that Levi isn't struggling to catch his breath anymore. Nico continues to press a line of kisses to Levi's shoulder, leading up to the spot just behind his ear.

Nico makes sure to keep his arms securely wrapped around Levi, a silent way of telling him that he isn't letting him go anytime soon, that he isn't going anywhere and that he isn't leaving him. There is no way that he will be leaving Levi any time soon, not a chance in hell. Levi can't get rid of him that quickly. 

It takes a good few minutes for Levi to finally calm down fully, though he still sniffles every now and then. Nico gives Levi one last squeeze before he unwraps his arms from him, and Levi turns to face him.

His eyes are bloodshot and puffy, dry tears track down his cheeks. Nico can't help but smile a little and reaches over to the bedside table, grabbing a tissue. He passes it to Levi, who mutters a small thank you. 

The air around them is still heavy, holding a bunch of unshed emotions, but it's lifted just that little bit. 

"Levi," Nico begins, keeping his voice low and gentle. Levi scrunches up the tissue in his hand and throws it at the bin in the corner of the room, but he misses. Nico muffles a laugh as Levi turns back to him, looking disappointed. "I'm not going anywhere, trust me."

Levi sighs deeply, shrugging and shaking his head. Part of him still doesn't believe Nico. He knows that Nico can't give up what he loves. Levi knows he would feel so guilty if Nico quit his dream job for him and made him do something he hates, all because he was scared. Correction - is scared. 

Nico lifts a hand, using the back of his knuckles to wipe the dampness from under Levi's eyes. It makes him smile and for Nico, that's enough. 

"I know how scared you are, I know. If you need me to step down from my job, or to do something-"

"I'm not going to do that to you, Nico. I'm not going to make you quit something you love."

"Well," Nico shuffles forward as best he can, wincing at the ache in his lower abdomen. He reaches his hands up, cupping Levi's jaw in his hands, thumbs gently ghosting across his cheeks. "When I'm ready to go back to work, I'll chat with someone, and see if we can arrange something better for me, yeah?"

Levi nods, a grin spreading from ear to ear. "Yeah."

Nico smiles back, leaning in and catching Levi's lips in a sweet kiss. It lasts for only a second, but it's enough to heal what has been damaged tonight. There is still a lot to talk about but for now, everything is okay again. 

"I love you, Nico Kim. With my whole heart," Levi whispers, heart full and content. 

"And I love you too, Levi Schmitt."

**Author's Note:**

> I realise I should have made this so much more angsty but I suck at writing and I tried my best :))


End file.
